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Best Sony NEX-6 Memory Card

     1169 words  6 minutes 
Avoid problems or reduced performance in your Sony NEX-6 by choosing the best memory card. You can choose between SD and PRO Duo, but one is more expensive.

The Sony NEX-6 is able to use 2 different types of memory cards. SD, SDHC, and SDXC cards can be used in addition to Sony PRO Duo and PRO-HG Duo cards.

The camera only has just one memory card slot. You will have to choose between a PRO Duo or SD memory card.

PRO Duo memory cards are a proprietary memory format controlled by Sony. SD memory cards have had a wider adoption that PRO Duo cards because SD memory cards are considerably faster as well as more affordable.

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SanDisk Ultra 64GB SD Card
SanDisk Ultra 64GB SD Card
Check prices on: Amazon
  • UHS-I, U1, and Class 10 Speed Rating. Can sustain 10MB/s write speeds.
  • Excellent choice for photos.
  • Capable of recording Full HD (1920x1080) Video.
  • Inexpensive with more than good enough performance.
  • Larger capacities are available for a reasonable price.

SanDisk, Lexar, and PNY are brands that produce the best SD cards. The best memory cards I have owned have been SanDisk Extreme Pro cards.

That does not mean you need to purchase a card from SanDisk for your Sony ILCE-NEX-6. Make sure the name is cool. That will mean you get fast transfer speeds, water resistance, and more professional features.

I have not run into issues with PNY Elite Performance or Lexar Professional cards.

When I have experienced problems with SD cards has been when inexpensive brands were used. A low cost card increases the chance of card failure or data corruption.

If you want to save money, don’t buy a cheap card. You will avoid problems by purchasing a professional-quality SD card with a reduced storage capacity.

Affiliate Advertising Disclosure

Outside the Shot is a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program designed to provide a means for sites to earn advertising fees by advertising and linking to Amazon.com.

As an eBay Partner, I may be compensated if you make a purchase. I also participate in affiliate advertising programs with KEH and Adorama. More can be found on the Affiliate Discolsure page.

SanDisk Ultra 64GB SD Card
SanDisk Ultra 64GB SD Card
Check prices on: Amazon
  • UHS-I, U1, and Class 10 Speed Rating. Can sustain 10MB/s write speeds.
  • Excellent choice for photos.
  • Capable of recording Full HD (1920x1080) Video.
  • Inexpensive with more than good enough performance.
  • Larger capacities are available for a reasonable price.
PNY Elite-X 128GB SD Card
PNY Elite-X 128GB SD Card
Check prices on: Amazon
  • UHS-I, U3, V30, and Class 10 Speed Rating. Can sustain 30MB/s write speeds.
  • Good for burst shooting photos and recording 4K video.
  • Larger capacity cards are available.
  • Reliable & Durable: Magnet Proof, Shock Proof, Temperature Proof, Waterproof.
SanDisk Extreme PRO 128GB SD Card
SanDisk Extreme PRO 128GB SD Card
Check prices on: Amazon
  • Comparatively expensive for faster read speeds.
  • UHS-I, U3, V30, and Class 10 Speed Rating. Can sustain 30MB/s write speeds.
  • Only makes sense for professional use or if you need the largest storage capacity available.
  • Temperature-proof, waterproof, shock-proof, and X-ray-proof.

SD, SDHC, and SDXC memory cards can be used by the Sony NEX-6. In order to get the most performance from the NEX-6, use a card.

The most recent SDUC memory cards won’t work with the NEX-6.

There are four different specifications of Secure Digital (SD) memory cards. New card specs increase tech that allows for more storage space as well as improved transfer speeds.

  • Secure Digital (SD) - 128MB to 2GB.
  • Secure Digital High Capacity (SDHC) - 4GB to 32GB.
  • Secure Digital eXtended Capacity (SDXC) - 64GB to 2TB.
  • Secure Digital Ultra Capacity (SDUC) - 4TB to 128TB.

The speed rating of an SD memory card is based on the sequential write and read speeds. The transfer speed of a SD card is essential for clearing the camera buffer for continuous shooting and recording video.

A slow memory card can cause a reduction in the number of continuous photos the Sony NEX-6 can capture. This is due to the camera’s buffer not being able to write to the card quickly enough.

When recording video, a slow card can cause an abrupt end to recording. The video file may also be corrupted. If you intend to capture video, it is crucial the card you use meets the minimum requirements of the camera.

Card read speed is nice to have for transferring files to a computer or laptop. If you are filling up cards with images or video, a SD card with a fast read speed will cut down on the transfer time.

SD Card Speed Class
SD Card Speed Class

A SD memory card is given a Class rating based on the sustained continuous transfer rate of the card. Class 10 is the best rating, even though cards can be purchased that are many times faster.

Here you can see a list of the Class ratings and the applicable minimum read/write speeds:

  • Class 2 - 2MB/s
  • Class 4 - 4MB/s
  • Class 6 - 6MB/s
  • Class 8 - 8MB/s
  • Class 10 - 10MB/s or faster

Nearly every card worth owning for the Sony NEX-6 will be a Class 10 SD card. In the time since the release of the camera, SD cards have gotten so much faster.

UHS-I Rating
UHS Rating

The Ultra High Speed (UHS) bus is available in SDHC, SDXC, and SDUC cards. The UHS bus allows for faster file transfer rates.

Three different specifications exist. They are UHS-I, UHS-II, and UHS-III.

You can find the rating of a SD card by reading the front of the SD memory card. If the card has UHS, a Roman numeral I, II, or III will be on the front of the card.

  • UHS-I - Maximum transfer rate of 104 MB/s
  • UHS-II - Maximum transfer rate of 312 MB/s
  • UHS-III - Maximum transfer rate of 624 MB/s

The Sony NEX-6 may use either a PRO-HG Duo or PRO Duo cards. What PRO-HG signifies is that the memory card has a minimum read speed of 50mb/s and a 15mb/s minimum write speed.

You’ll have to spend double to get a Sony PRO Duo memory card than a similar SD memory card. I would not recommend purchasing a Sony PRO Duo memory card for use in a NEX-6 because of the cost increase.

SD Card Contacts
SD Card Contacts

Below is an approximate estimation of how many large JPEG images you can expect to store on each size of SD card.

  • 16GB - 4,640 images
  • 32GB - 9,280 images
  • 64GB - 18,560 images
  • 128GB - 37,120 images
  • 256GB - 74,240 images

That covers all of the key technical specs you need to understand about PRO Duo and SD memory cards.

Updated on 2022-10-11
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